Roxio announced Roxio Burn, a ightweight software application that addresses the primary burning needs of Windows 7 and Vista users.

Once installed, a 'Desktop Icon' user interface appears and alows you to perform frequent burning activities, such as copying a data or audio CD and backing up files to optical disc, with simple drag, drop, and click actions.

"We estimate that common recording tasks are performed by consumers hundreds of millions of times each year," said Matt DiMaria, general manager, Roxio. "Roxio's User Experience team has taken a fresh design approach to make performing these tasks both easy and enjoyable. Roxio Burn is an essential complement to the built-in OS media functionality that will delight Windows 7 and Vista users with its original form, reliability and responsiveness."

Roxio Burn automatically appears on the desktop whenever a disc is inserted into the optical drive and allows users to perform activities such as copying an audio CD or burning files to a data disc. The unique desktop icon approach also makes it more convenient then conventional burning applications or the Operating System; for example, to burn files to a disc, users simply drag and drop files onto the icon and click the Burn button. In addition, in the case of large files, Roxio Burn will automatically span the files across multiple discs. A video overview of the application is available at: http://www.roxio.com/go/oem.

Roxio Burn is expected to be available shortly on PCs from major manufacturers. The application is part of a new range of products from Roxio for Windows 7 and the emerging Touch-Screen and Netbook PC segments.

Another company that specializes in the development of optical disc burning solutions, Nero, will also offer support for the Windows 7 OS through its Nero 9 integrated digital media and home entertainment suite, Nero Move it and Nero LiquidTV|TiVo. Nero product offerings let users create, edit, transfer, share and enjoy their digital content via the Web, their PC and portable devices.

Microsoft released the Windows 7 "release candidate" to a large group of technology-savvy testers Thursday and will be ready for anyone to download and try out starting Tuesday. The near-final version of the new operating system offers som new features including the "Windows XP Mode" that lets people run many XP-era programs from a Windows 7 computer, a way for people to access music and other media files stored on their home PC over the Internet from other Windows 7 machines as well as better managing of memory compared to the demanding Vista OS.

Windows 7 is expected to be available by the end of January 2010 or even earlier in time for the holiday shopping season.